Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 237 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— 12 “* Let me see it.” “They but two_gri fied; it are in my shirt . Ed at once w the buckskin belt out, and saw that it was heavy with gold. ‘‘ Where did you get this, Bitters?’ ‘‘T found it over by ther campius, on ,t’other side o’ the river, and in my scrim- ber with thet sinner it fell out o’ my ,buckskin hunting-shirt, an’ he seen it, an’ it helped him ter make up ther lie in’ me.” ‘“ Why did you not speak of it before?” “*T did tell Lone Star about. findin’ it.” ** But to us?” ‘Waal, I didn’t see as it consarned any 0’ you.” ‘‘ Look on that side of it, 2d, for, it has a name on it!” cried Ranger: Ralph, whose quick eye had detected some let- ters on the buckskin. Klegant Ed turned the belt over and read aloud: ‘* El Cobra !” One yell burst from the cowboys at this thrilling discovery, and every eye was turned upon the old scout. ‘Waal, one would think I were sittin’ for a picture ther way yer looks at me,” he said, angrily. ‘“ Hang him!” The cry broke from the lips of Ranger Ralph. , But it was enough to arouse the heated passions of the wild set of men around the fire, and instantly a score of voices pers, an’ they is eur,” , _ shouted: ‘* Ay, hang him!” ) To show how quickly they had de- cided who was guilty, they at once set Ranger Ralph and a lariat was thrown over a limb, and loud voices cried : sce. Byer traitor here and hang him!” 4 , ef yer swi me up, | dies a innercent man, as I will sw’ar afore high eaven. ‘Don’t do it, fer some day yer’ll find yer hey done me a wrong, an’ yer can’t en fetch ther old man back, an’ remorse will come ter yer in ther dark o’ night, $s it aout no pleasant pard ter go ter with. ‘Give me a leetle time, an’ don’t hang Old Bitters spoke earnestly, but with- out a quiver in his voice; : But the maddened cowboys would not listen to reason, and i ac to drag him and Ranger toward the tree, h ed the noose around his himself fasten neck, Unflinchingly he faced them, and said: ‘‘Boys, yer 1s wrong; but go ahead, fer ther old man hain’t afeerd ter die. ‘Only a leetle minute o’ suff’rin’, an’ I crosses 0’ ther Great River, whar you'll foller afore long. . ‘tGood-by, boys, the ole man are ready !” CHAPTER XIX. COWBOY JUSTICE. ‘SHLD, boys, for that old man shall not die like a dog!” The speaker was the sad-eyed, hand- some young cowboy, whom the mys- terious disappearance of Lone Star: left captain of the cowboys, All knew him as a mild-mannered young man, whom all liked, and who seemed out of his sphere as a cowboy; but in spite of his modest manner there ‘was 180 on@ that had cared to res#®”him to anger. Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. Now he sprung forward as he spoke, and laid his hand on the rope that was tightening around the neck of the old scout. ‘You stand back, Elegant Ed, for T'll stand no interference in this matter of ing a man, whose lies nearly placed me in this very position,” cried Ranger Ralph, excitedly. ‘‘And where, by Heaven, I believe you ought to be, for, with all the appear- ances against Old Bitters, [ don’t believe him guilty,” was the bold reply of Ele- gant Ed. ‘Well, he is guilty and shall swing for it; and then I’ll deal with you, my hand- sme cowboy,” said Ranger Ralph sav- agely, “You'll deal me with now, sir, if you don’t let go your hold on that rope,” and, as quick as a flash the revolver of Ele- gant Ed covered the heart of the Ranger. He saw that he was at the mercy of the cowboy lieutenant, and he well knew that there was-no better shot in the band, than was Elegant Fd, and sulkily he dropped his hand, while he cried out: ‘“Pards, will you see me set on, this way, for wishing to punish a man who sought to hang me, and who was a traitor with Lone Star, for I saw them take the | Star gold?” ‘‘No, we must hang the scout, Ed,” said one. ‘“-Yes, we are convinced he is guilty,” cried another. ‘* Ranger Ralph’s right, pards.” ‘* String the old traitor up!” ‘‘Get away, Ed, and let us do our work !” ‘You stand back, Elegant Ed, for we don’t want to have no quarrel with you,” It was evident that nearly every man of the band was against him; but this did not cause Elegant Ed to yield one inch from his determination to save Old Bit- ters, who stood boldly upright, watching and hearing all, yet BihernE no word, or showing the slightest sign of emotion. ‘“‘Tf you hang that man, you have first to kill me,” sternly said Elegant Ed, and with a revolver in each hand he faced the crowd. ing Ranger Ralph but liked Elegant bad ing er , bu tle exceedingly, ard was under Shlieahohs to him for many little favors rendered; yet they would not be cheated out of their hanging treat even for him, espe- | h cially when they felt morally convinced that Old Bitters was a traitor, and really deseryed hanging. ‘‘You must yield, Ed, for though we don’t want trouble with you it will have to come, if you attempt to protect that old man,” said one who was a self-appointed kesman. ‘‘You must give him time, for I be- lieve him innocent,” said Elegant Ed _. “ Nary time; up he goes now.”’ ‘Stand back! for the man who lays hand on him I will kill.” The cowboys saw that the lamb had be- come a lion when aroused, and they did not doubt Elegant Ed’s intention to keep his word; but they were all bent on mis- chief, and a& voice cried: ‘Wing him, some one o’ you who can ens center, and then run im on It was evident that this proposition was abotfto be carried out, for half a dozen revélvers were drawn among the crowd. But suddenly a slender form glided up in front of Elegant Ed and Old Bifters, and his arms were extended, and each hand a self-cocking revolver, while in the softest tones he said: ‘“Now, gentlemen, what is the row?” ‘* Lone Star !” ‘* The captain !” The cries were upon every lip, and Ranger Ralph quickly fell back from the front, and endeavored to slip away through the crowd. ‘Hold on, Ranger Ralph, or I fire!” cried Lone Star, catching sight of him. Instantly the man, driven to cespera- tion, turned, with frenzy in his face and a revolver in each hand; but a dozen cow- boys saw his intention, and at once threw themselves upon him. A short scuffle followed, and Ranger Ralph was securely bound, while Lone Star said in his easy tones: ‘‘Now tell me what dear Old Bitters has done, that I find him in this plight.”’ ‘‘T hain’t done nothin’, pard, but tell ther truth, an’ they was a-goin’ ter hang me fer it, fer thet feller sed as how he seen us talkin’ to a Mexikin in ther mes- quite thicket, an’ he guv us a belt o’ gold pesos, an’ we was traitors, an’ sich like.” ‘The infamous liar!” ejaculated Lone “An’ he sed,” continued Old Bitters, in his quaint way, ‘‘as how I kilt you an’ threw yer body in ther river, an’—” ‘‘Knough, Bitters, and let me tell the boys what that wretch is,” angrily said Lone Star, motioning tow Ranger Ralph, who lay bound upon the ground, in the full glare of the camp-fire. Then he told the story which Old Bit- ters had related, and, ashamed of them- selves, the cowboys ran forward and hastily released the old man from his bonds, and dragged Ranger Ralph under the swinging noose of the lariat. ‘““They are going to He, Lone Star,” cried Elegant Ed, quickly. ‘‘T do not care, for he richly deserves it,” was the indifferent reply of the young Cowboy Captain, and the next instant, unmindtel of the shrieks of the r wretch..for mercy, he was dragged up into mid-air, and the rope silen orever the voice of ring dl ph, 7; ‘“‘Teave him hanging there, with this inned to his jacket,” said Lone Star, and e fastened to the hanging, dying man, the treacherous paper he had upon im, * Now, pards, mount and follow me, for I have work for you ahead,” was the order of the Cowboy Captain, and in ten minutes after they had ridden off mm the darkness, leaving the ghastly form of Ranger Ralph swinging to and fro, and casting sickening shadows from the fire- light’s glare. CHAPTER XX. LONE STAR’S ADVENTURE, I wit now return to the mysterious disappearance of Lone Star, when he left the mesquite thicket, to tack the piece of paper upon the lightning-riven tree on the river bank. | He had nearly reached the tree, when up over the steep bank came several horse- men, and he was forced to step down into a rut in the trail to hide from view. It was just deep enough and wide enough to hide him from view, as he lay at length in it, and there he remained while the horsemen halted near, and after a few words of conversation one of them rode on to the tree. d foun (E] ONO) eoim cS Gor